Perchance to Dream
by Light1
Summary: Even Monsters can have nightmares in the darkness.


**Perhaps to Dream**

Disclaimer: Hellsing belongs people who are not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Authoress note: What do vampires dream about?

Do vampires dream? Walter was inclined to think that they did. He had read somewhere, most likely in one of the Hellsing family diaries that vampires did not even sleep, at least not the way that humans do. But rather they simply died; looking at the creature in front of him Walter thought it safe to assume that they did not simply die or at least not always. He was pretty sure dead people didn't move. But then again Alucard was dead all the time and he moved, sometimes in most interesting ways. Walter shook his head he was overcomplicating this. The vampire curled on the bed in front of him was clearly not dead in the sense that those men meant. He was not cold and still. No, he was subtly warm, his body clinging to the warmth gained through feeding, soft movement and even sound at times came from him. Walter was most inclined to think that vampires did dream. Or at least Alucard did. When Walter had entered the room in the basement he had expected silent stillness but that was not what he had gotten, the sounds of movement had been quiet and Walter had thought he imagined it but then the cry that came made his skin want to crawl off and hide. What ever Alucard dreamt of it was not pleasant. But then what would be unpleasant to the vampire? What did vampires dream of? One of Abraham van Helsing's grandchildren had conducted a study of this very nature, Walter remembered clearly now, from when in his youth curiosity of the family he served and the monster they kept had driven him to the diaries. He could not recall the man's name but he could recall his conclusion.

'_Alucard is a crafty beast. He remains awake most days as if to purposely hinder any advancement I may make. What is he hiding? Alas I begin to lose interest in this pursuit, for how will it help us? We known vampires are weakest during the day. Alucard's distinctly odd behaviour gives that much away. And so I must from this odd behaviour conclude that vampires do indeed die when they retire for the day. For why else would the ancient beast work so hard to remain awake in my presence, other than to prevent me seeing him at his weakest point?'_

Walter smirked to himself, it wasn't a bad theory as theories went but he did not believe it to be the right one. The movements of the vampire now was what caused him to reach this conclusion, he almost writhed at moments, and had even cried out at one point. So yes the writer was right in the sense that Alucard did not want to be seen at his weakest but his weakest was not his death. Rather his nightmares. The vampire made a small unhappy sound and rolled again, Walter wondered to himself what could Alucard be dreaming of. What did a creature who'd lived through many human lifetimes dream of? Alucard had always denied having dreams of any sort, Walter had known this to be a lie, but then maybe it was an unintentional lie, maybe the vampire did not remember his dreams. Looking at him now Walter half hoped that to be the case. Alucard had rolled again, blood-sweat spreading out across his brow. The bed sheets were getting dishevelled; Walter had been a little surprised to learn that the vampire did not always sleep in a coffin, that he only did so when he felt he needed to or wanted to. But most days were spent in a soft bed. The vampire in question moved again.

If what vampires dreamed about could clearly disturb Alucard this much then maybe he didn't want to know what he dreamt of. He tried to contemplate what could disturb the ancient beast this much but continually came up blank. Nothing ever seemed to disturb Alucard; he was like wind, constant and untouchable. But yet the evidence was showing that something was clearly getting to the vampire, to his friend. The mortal shook his head, what was he even doing in here? It was late afternoon for crying out loud he had known that the vampire would be sleeping, did he really want to risk his life that badly. Another small sound escaped the sleeping vampire, a low growling sound that made the hair on Walters arms stand up again. Looking down Walter frowned for a moment; there was blood on Alucard's face, a perfect line coming from his eye as if a droplet had rolled from there. Like a tear. He thought for a moment about waking his friend, pulling him from his apparent nightmare. But fear stopped him. It was dangerous to wake sleeping vampires; they had an ingrained instinct to lash out very quickly when roused during the day. He'd seen men die that way before, to arrogant to kill sleeping prey they had woken them in the hope of terrifying them but instead had had sleeping claws lash out across their throats. Walter was not insane enough to try and wake Alucard. He did not want the ancient beast's claws in his scull. Never mind, the sun would go down soon.

He turned to leave, no doubt the vampire would not be overly amused at the fact Walter had sat and watched him sleep, he would probably sulk most of the night. He rose to his feet and on a sudden whim, reached down and brushed black hair from closed eyes. He turned to go but was stopped once again when he reached the door. The sound the vampire made was one Walter had heard before, but never in a bedroom always on a battle field when the battle was over. It was a sound of despair, of defeat and it did not sound right coming from the vampire. Swallowing hard Walter turned and returned to the bedside. He felt himself shiver a little, he knew he was about to take his life in his hands but that sound was so . . . wrong coming from Alucard. Swallowing once again he reached down laying hand on the vampires shoulder before shaking him gently but persistently. It took a few long moments but the vampire stirred and Walter did not feel claws lashing out at him.

"W ... Walter?" the vampire's voice was slow and heavy with sleep, he yawned impressively and Walter smirked.

"Have a nice nap?"

**End **


End file.
